Eclair/Story
'Fondness Story' 'I. Acquaintance' "Yo! Bullying girls, now are we?" A flash of electricity streaked across the humid air, leaping towards a group of gangsters who were harassing a girl they had surrounded. Its strike caught them off guard. "Lighting?!" "It's you...Eclair! Screw off!" Afraid of being zapped again, the gangsters each backed away. The fierce looks on their faces were betrayed by the steps they were taking back, as though they thought that would be enough to scare me off. "My lighting has a mind of its own, you know. It's not my fault if it happens to hurt a bunch of girl-bullying jerks." "Do you even know who she is?! By protecting her, don't tell me you also...hahahahaha!" "Enough of your drivel!" Another streak of lightning leaped at them, and the gangsters shut their mouths and fled. I walked over to the woman who was being harassed. Her half-torn clothes showed clear signs of struggle. If I hadn't stepped in, she would've been done for. "Hey, if you're okay then you better go home. Wander around and you'll catch the eye of some evil human-trafficking circle." I didn't plan on giving that woman a special treatment, nor did I plan to escort her home like some kind of good samaritan. The only reason why I stepped in was because it just so happened to be my territory she was attacked on. Even if I did show some kindness to her, my lightning would just scare her off like everyone else. I was walking past her when I heard a bright laugh. Thinking she was laughing at me, I spun around and glared at her. "What are you laughing at?" "Your way of comforting someone is funny." "Heh. I wasn't comforting you, I was warning you." I was a little dumbfounded watching her, but it was what she said next that completely threw me off guard. "Thank you for saving me, would you like to come to my house? I'd like to express my gratitude properly." When I saw the sincere look on her face, I hesitated. In this town, no matter what I did, no one would get close to me. Of course, I didn't care. But, of the many times I stepped in and saved someone, they would always flee after I saved them, as though they were about to get struck with lightning too. It pissed me off. This was the first time I'd received an invitation, though I wasn't complaining. "Seeing as you've insisted, might as well." I kicked the little rocks at my feet and took a couple of steps forward, hands clasped behind mt back before I stopped. "Hey, where do you live?" I heard her laugh again. A little irked, I turned around to glare at her and saw her kindly pointing in the direction opposite of mine. "This way. Come with me." "...oh." 'II. Music Box' "Wait here, I'll go make dinner." "You better hurry, I’m a busy man with a patrol to finish." "Of course, I’ll be quick." The truth was, I’d already finished my patrol when I chased those thugs away, but there was still much I needed to do. Looking after a street (despite the fact the mayor still refuses to acknowledge it’s mine) is hard work. When I entered her door, I noticed that there was a wooden sign hanging upside down in front of her house. This was a rare sight around town, with flower wreaths being what people normally hung up on doors. But I didn't think much of it. Perhaps this was some organization’s here secret headquarters? I’d need to ask her about it when she gets back. As the waiting dragged on, the electricity that had accumulated in the room started jumping around me. My boredom turning restless, I started pacing around her room. No matter how hard I looked, I couldn't find any sign of her home being a secret base. The room had few decorations and was instead filled with various flowers. I have to be careful not to let my electricity touch to the delicate petals. On a cabinet stood a sturdy egg-shaped music box with a wooden base. From what I'd seen before, I knew that if you turned the gears, the egg would open and exposing the secrets it held for all the world to see. I walked over to it, curious about the secrets in that egg. Before I had the chance to touch it, though, in a flash, the electricity snaking around me leaped onto the music box the copper eggshell and into the music box. I stopped the current just in time. Just I was about to draw the electricity in the music box back out, the women came into the room with a plate in hand. "Sorry about this, guests don’t come around often, so I’m low on ingredients. A simple dish was all I could prepare...what’s that?" She set her plate down at the table before walking over. Noticing where I stood, she deduced I was looking at her music box. "Did that music box catch your eye? It was a gift from a friend. Did you know the eggshell opens." She reached out and lifted the music box. Thinking the wood that covered the workings would block the electricity, I didn’t stop her. However, a gear that was hidden underneath the base was made of metal too. The current in the eggshell flowed through the workings straight to the bottom, shocking her hand the moment they touched. Clang! The music box fell out of her hands and to the floor. The covering shattered upon contact. Two human figurines frozen in an airy dance rolled out. "Don’t be so careles-...it broke." My voice grew quieter as I noticed the look on her face. I was at a bit of loss. After a moment of heavy silence, I decided to apologize to her. Regardless of whether I meant to or not, if I do something wrong, I must apologize. That is my creed. But I rarely do such misdeeds, so I rarely carry it out. "Sorry. The electricity just went in and I couldn't warn you in time..." "That’s okay." Her downcast expression was replaced with a smile as she comforted me. "If it’s broken, it’s broken. You didn’t do it on purpose, so don’t feel too bad about it. That friend left ages ago anyway and never bothered getting in touch with me since. Who’s say he hasn’t forgotten already? Alright, take your seat. It’s time to eat!" Not giving me the chance to think about it any further, she urged me to sit down and started piling food onto my plate. Everything afterwards went at her pace, and all I could pay attention to was the good time we were having. Before I knew it, it was time for me to leave. Staring at the wooden door she had shut behind me, an image of that broken music box flashed across my mind. ...I owed her a music box. 'III. Rumors' That women's music box wasn't one you could just get anywhere. Each time I asked the shop about it, the owner always told me they didn't have it. One day, I saw a similar music box in the window display while passing by and entered the shop. But as I was talking to the owner, I heard whispering. I glanced in their direction and they hurriedly looked away in clear guilt. "It's that food soul who has nothing better to do than wander the streets all day. Don't tell me he's here to collect a protection racket from the owner?" "Who knows? Lemme tell you, the other day I saw him..." "Seriously? He'd go to that sort of place? I knew he was up to no good." I couldn't hear what they were saying very clearly, but it pissed me off how hush-hush their little discussion was. If they had something to say about me, why not say it to my face? What about it was so gossip-worthy? Lighting crackled in my hands as I grit my teeth, interrupting them from behind. "If you've got something to say, why not say it to face?" "Eclair?!" "Ah, so you knew I was here. I hate people who gossip behind others' backs the most! I suggest you tell me right now what you were just talking about." "We...we were saying...draw your electricity back first! Don't zap me!" "Relax. As long as you behave, my electricity won't hurt you." "That woman you saved is a prostitute!" having people see you stay over at her place for so long for no clear reason is going to tar your reputation!" "Huh?!" I didn't expect him to say so much in one breath. A moment later, I thought back to the wooden sign on her door and finally realized what that had meant. The townsfolk hung up wreaths on their doors. A single woman hanging a wooden sign over her door was "open for business"... "It's not like she wanted to. Her father left many debts behind when he suddenly died. This is the fastest way to her pay those debts back." "The townsfolk know, but who'd want to get involved with a woman doing something like that?" Bang! Boom! I'd heard enough. Zapping the two twits who couldn't get enough of trying to convince me otherwise, I watched them pass out and dusted my hands off. "I hate people who talk about others behind their backs. You've never even tried to get to know her, so who gave you the right to judge? That'll teach you to never ever gossip again." I gave some coins to the owner as he averted his gaze. Carrying a music box, I left without so much as a glance back. Back then, I was stubborn in my belief that I taught those two a lesson because I hated how they were talking behind someone's back. It had nothing to do with her. Only later did I realize I defended her because I felt we were the same. It's only natural someone shunned by others wouldn't be understood by them either. 'IV. Friend' Taking the music box, I went to see her. I was a little hesitant upon seeing the buckled wooden sign on her door, not sure if she was out or if she was occupied with a customer. Before I could hesitate for too long, the door opened and a man walked out. Upon seeing me, a sleazy grin appeared on his face. 'Who would've thought that ya food souls are into this kind of stuff too? Guess y'ain't that different from us humans after all. But she sure is one popular gal...eurgh!" After my electricity taught that big-mouth a lesson, she came out of the house. She looked awkward once she saw me and that man on the ground. At that moment, that man was already unconscious. She needed no explanation to understand what had transpired. Our stares met, neither of us knowing what to say. In the end, it was her who broke the silence. "You're here because...?" "I came to return your music box." 'Huh?" The music box passed from my arms into her hands. Surprise flashed on her face before she invited me in for tea. I didn't hesitate to agree. "I didn't think it would bother you that much. Thank you...but this music box no longer means anything to me." She poured me a cup of tea. Sitting across with a nostalgic look on her face, she recounted how a boy had a crush on gave her that music box. However, that boy moved away with his parents and she'd never heard words of him since. "Even if does come, I'm not worthy of him. You already what I do for a living, don't you? "Yeah, so?" "Does it not bother you? If you hang around me too much, they'll get the wrong idea. Only you and I know that both times I invited you in was to thank you. But they won't think so. They'll just think you're..." "Why does that matter? I've helped a lot of people in this town, but all they do is try to get as far away from me as they can because I'm a food soul. Even just a 'thank you' is good enough for me." "But..." "But what? If they got something to say, my electricity will make sure they no longer do. You don't have to worry about that." "Anyways...thank you." After that, we became friends. I grew my territory from one street in town to include her doorstep. Whenever I saw someone harassing her or pointing fingers at us, I would not hesitate to show them my electricity had a mind of its own. With a friend who understood me, it was only natural that I would be happier than I was before. I could do whatever I wanted. Even when I made her mad, she wouldn't distance herself like the others. She was the only one who had accepted me. Of course, I was also the only one who didn't mind being friends with her. 'V. Eclair' Before Eclair "took over" that street, a group of gangsters was constantly coercing its residents into handing over protection rackets that would keep their homes safe for the time being. When Eclair chased them off, the residents gathered around him and gave their thanks (though keeping a safe distance a safe distance due to his electricity). That is, until Eclair declared the street now belonged to him. Everyone split. The people thought Eclair threaten them into handing over protection rackets just like the gangsters from before, but he didn't. Aside from expressing his distaste for other people's comments towards him and the occasional prank, Eclair never looked for trouble. He would even protect the people from gangsters. But, due to Eclair's rash nature and his poor control over electricity, no one dared get close to him. And so, Eclair, who never harbored any ill will, never knew why he was alienated by the residents. The more the residents distanced themselves from him, the more Eclair wanted to get their attention. If he heard someone mention they wanted a new haircut, he'd saunter up to them and ask if they wanted an afro. He'd insist on having a fishing competition with others, and while they were fishing with a proper rod and hook, he'd blow the fish out of the water with his electricity... The only one who knew Eclair had no ill will was a woman forced to sell her body out for a living. Word traveled fast in this secluded little town. The people knew that she had no other choice thanks to the debts her late father left behind, yet they refused to have anything to do with her. They would even tell their children to stay away from her lest they go down the wrong path. Of course, the girl knew what the residents were thinking, but she didn't care what they thought. They had nothing to do with her. Needless to say, she knew Eclair thought she did. She also knew it was in fact Eclair who cared about how others saw them the most. It was for that reason he'd use rather violent methods to silence their chitchats. The truth was, Eclair's heart ached for friends. He, however, would not entertain this notion. Thus, his hypervigilance towards how other people saw him, afraid of what they had to say. If, though, one were kind to him and attempted to get close, he would immediately accept and reciprocate this kindness. She wasn't like Eclair. All that was on her mind was one thing: if that man she liked learned of what she did now, would he spurn her just like everyone else did? As it would turn out, love trumps all. In the end, the man returned to his birth town and found the woman he once loved. He discovered she hadn't changed from the woman he had adored way back then. Wise and forgiving, her gentleness soothed his heart. And so he proposed to her. The woman yearned to accept, but she couldn't lie to him. She told the man about everything she'd been doing for the past few years. yet, the man remained steadfast in his decision even he heard her out. He told her that while he was on business, he had nearly gotten killed by a fallen angel. In the moment he thought he was going to die, his only wish was to spend the rest of his life with the woman he loved. He would not pass upon his soulmate over some prejudices others held. The woman and her lover finally stepped into the wedding chapel. Eclair embellished his sole friend's wedding by setting off hoop after hoop of electric arcs into the sky. the stunning, firework-esque arcs warped from shape to shape. The woman's wedding became the talk of the town, and people had nothing but praise for it. The woman's husband paid off her debts and she moved out of town with him. Eclair's life returned to normal, but every now and then he'd think back to what she told him before. "You zap others gossiping about you because you're afraid of what they have to say, right Eclair? You don't need to be afraid. as long as you draw your electricity back, they'll all be willing to get to know you. And...being too violent can get yourself hurt as well. You need to take care of yourself too." For a long time, Eclair refused to acknowledge the girl's patient parting words and thought she changed after she got married. It wasn't until he met Napoleon Cake that he took those words to heart. As usual, a fight had broken out after a brash confrontation. Only this time the loser wasn't his opponent, but himself. "You're Eclair, right? Wanna join my team?" "Huh?" "I find your electricity super interesting. If you decide to come with me, though, you'll have to watch where you use it. Don't electrocute my sweets." Seeing napoleon give him an offer even after defeating him, Eclair thought back to that woman's words. Will people get along with me as long as I draw my electricity back? Eclair couldn't fully trust a food soul he'd just met, but...it was something he consider. Category:Food Soul Story